2026-06-10
AN 3.8x Samaṇa Vagga: Adhisīla, Adhicitta, Adhipaññā
AN 3.81 Samaṇasutta -- Three Duties
"Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, samaṇassa samaṇiyāni samaṇakaraṇīyāni. Katamāni tīṇi?
Adhisīlasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhicittasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhipaññāsikkhāsamādānaṁ ---
imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi samaṇassa samaṇiyāni samaṇakaraṇīyāni.Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: 'tibbo no chando bhavissati
adhisīlasikkhāsamādāne, tibbo no chando bhavissati adhicittasikkhāsamādāne,
tibbo no chando bhavissati adhipaññāsikkhāsamādāne'ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.
| samaṇiya | (adj) related to an ascetic; regarding a monk [samaṇa + iya] |
| karaṇīya 1 | (nt) duty; obligation; something to be done [√kar + aṇīya] nt, ptp of karoti |
| samādāna | (nt) undertaking (of); taking upon oneself; [saṁ + √ādā + ana] from samādiyati |
| tasmātiha | (sandhi) therefore here; therefore in this regard [tasmā + [t] + iha] |
| sikkhitabba | (ptp) should be practised; should be trained (by) [√sikkh + itabba] |
| tibba 2 | (pp) intense; keen; acute [√tij > tib + ta] pp of √tij |
| no 2.4 | (pron) our pron, 1st gen pl of ahaṁ |
| bhavissati 3 | (fut) will happen; will occur [bhavissa + ti] fut of bhavati |
| vo 1.1 | (pron) you all (subject) pron, 2nd nom pl of tvaṁ |
Bringing the definitions forward:
AN 3.89 -- Definitions
"Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sikkhā. Katamā tisso? Adhisīlasikkhā, adhicittasikkhā, adhipaññāsikkhā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, adhisīlasikkhā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti ...
samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhisīlasikkhā.Katamā ca, bhikkhave, adhicittasikkhā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi ...
catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhicittasikkhā.Katamā ca, bhikkhave, adhipaññāsikkhā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu 'idaṁ dukkhan'ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti ...
'ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā'ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhipaññāsikkhā. Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sikkhā"ti.
See also the discussion of jhāna practice on 2025-07-29
AN 3.90 -- Lamp going out
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, adhipaññāsikkhā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā
anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā
upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhipaññāsikkhā.... Viññāṇassa nirodhena, / taṇhākkhayavimuttino; / Pajjotasseva nibbānaṁ, / vimokkho hoti cetaso"ti.
AN 3.82 Gadrabhasutta -- Donkey
Suppose, mendicants, a donkey followed behind a herd of cattle, thinking: 'I can moo too! I can moo too!' But it doesn't look like a cow, or sound like a cow, or leave a footprint like a cow.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu bhikkhusaṅghaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandho hoti:
'ahampi bhikkhu, ahampi bhikkhū'ti.Tassa na tādiso chando hoti adhisīlasikkhāsamādāne seyyathāpi aññesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ,
na tādiso chando hoti adhicittasikkhāsamādāne seyyathāpi aññesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ,
na tādiso chando hoti adhipaññāsikkhāsamādāne seyyathāpi aññesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ.So bhikkhusaṅghaṁyeva piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandho hoti: 'ahampi bhikkhu, ahampi bhikkhū'ti.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: 'tibbo no chando bhavissati ...'
| idhekacca | (pron) here a certain; in this case some; [idha + ekacca] pron, comp |
| piṭṭhito 1 | (ind) behind; at the rear of; just behind [pa + √ṭhā + i + to] |
| anubandha 1 | (adj) following after; following behind; [anu + √bandh + a] |
| tassa 1 | (pron) to him; for him; to that; for that [ta + ssa] pron, masc & nt dat sg of ta |
| tādisa | (adj) such; like that; of such quality; [taṁ > tā + disa] adj, comp |
| aññesaṁ 1 | (pron) to others; for other people [añña + esānaṁ > esaṁ] pron, masc & nt dat pl of añña |
AN 3.83 Khettasutta -- Fields
A farmer has three primary duties related to his field, a bhikkhu has three primary duties related to his training.
AN 3.84 Vajjiputtasutta -- Too Many Rules
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha kho aññataro vajjiputtako
bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so vajjiputtako bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:"Sādhikamidaṁ, bhante, diyaḍḍha-sikkhāpada-sataṁ anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchati.
Nāhaṁ, bhante, ettha sakkomi sikkhitun"ti.
| mahāvana 1 | (nt) name of a forest outside Vesālī [mahā + vana] nt, comp |
| kūṭāgārasālā 1 | (fem) hall with a peaked roof [kūṭāgāra + sālā] fem, comp |
| aññatara 1 | (pron) a certain; a [añña + tara] pron, from añña |
| vajjiputtaka 1 | (masc) young Vajjian man; [vajjī + putta + ka] masc, comp |
| diyaḍḍha | (adj) one and a half [dvi > di + [y] + aḍḍha] adj, comp |
| sikkhāpada | (nt) precept; instruction; training rule [sikkhā + pada] nt, comp |
| sata 2.1 | (card) one hundred (100) card, nt sg |
| anvaddhamāsaṁ | (ind) every fortnight; after half a month [anu + addha + māsa + aṁ] |
| sakkoti | (pr) is able (to) [sakko + ti] pr |
| sikkhituṁ | (inf) to practice; to train [√sikkh + ituṁ] inf of sikkhati |
"Sakkhissasi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, tīsu sikkhāsu sikkhituṁ --- adhisīlasikkhāya, adhicittasikkhāya adhipaññāsikkhāyā"ti?
"Sakkomahaṁ, bhante, tīsu sikkhāsu sikkhituṁ --- adhisīlasikkhāya, adhicittasikkhāya, adhipaññāsikkhāyā"ti.
"Tasmātiha tvaṁ, bhikkhu, tīsu sikkhāsu sikkhassu --- adhisīlasikkhāya, adhicittasikkhāya, adhipaññāsikkhāya.
Yato kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, adhisīlampi sikkhissasi, adhicittampi sikkhissasi, adhipaññampi sikkhissasi,
tassa tuyhaṁ bhikkhu adhisīlampi sikkhato adhicittampi sikkhato adhipaññampi sikkhato rāgo pahīyissati,
doso pahīyissati, moho pahīyissati. So tvaṁ rāgassa pahānā dosassa pahānā mohassa pahānā
yaṁ akusalaṁ na taṁ karissasi, yaṁ pāpaṁ na taṁ sevissasī"ti.Atha kho so bhikkhu ... yaṁ akusalaṁ taṁ nākāsi, yaṁ pāpaṁ taṁ na sevī'ti.
| yato 2 | (ind) since; because; due to the fact that [ya + to] ind, adv, abl sg of ya |
| tuyhaṁ 1 | (pron) for you; to you pron, 2nd dat sg of tvaṁ |
| pahīyati 1.1 | (pr) is abandoned; is given up [pa + hīya + ti] pr, pass of pajahati |
| sevati 2 | (pr) practices; pursues; engages (in); cultivates [seva + ti] pr |
AN 3.85 Sekkhasutta -- Why is one called a 'trainee'?
AN 3.86 Paṭhamasikkhāsutta
Sādhikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchati,
yattha attakāmā kulaputtā sikkhanti. Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sikkhā
yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati. Katamā tisso? Adhisīlasikkhā, adhicittasikkhā adhipaññāsikkhā ---
imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sikkhā, yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati.
| yattha | (ind) wherever; where; when; in which [ya + ttha] ind, adv, from ya |
| attakāma 1 | (adj) desiring one's own good; wanting self-liberation [atta + kāma] adj, comp |
| kulaputta | (masc) son of a good family; young gentleman [kula + putta] masc, comp |
| yatthetaṁ | (sandhi) in which this; where this [yattha + etaṁ] sandhi, adv + pn |
| samodhāna 1 | (nt) combining; fitting together (in); inclusion [saṁ + ava + √dhā + ana] nt, act |
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ mattaso kārī paññāya mattaso kārī.
So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi. Taṁ kissa hetu?
Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā.Yāni ca kho tāni sikkhāpadāni ādibrahmacariyakāni brahmacariyasāruppāni,
tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo.
| paripūrakārī | (adj) who completely fulfils; who is complete (wrt); who practices fully |
| mattaso | (ind) moderately; to a moderate degree [matta + so] ind, adv, abl sg of mattā |
| khuddānukhuddaka | (adj) lesser and minor; small and less important [khudda + anukhudda + ka] |
| āpajjati 4 | (pr) (of an offence) commits; falls into [ā + pajja + ti] pr |
| vuṭṭhāti 3 | (pr) (of an offence) rehabilitates; re-emerges; reinstitutes [[v] + ud + ṭhā + ti] pr |
| mettha | (sandhi) by me in this regard [me + ettha] sandhi, pron + adv |
| abhabbatā | (fem) impossibility; something incapable of happening (for) [abhabba + tā] |
| vutta 2.1 | (pp) said; told; spoken; mentioned [√vac > vuc + ta] pp of vacati |
| ādibrahmacariyaka | (adj) fundamental to the holy life; [ādi + brahma + cariya + ka] |
| brahmacariyasāruppa | (adj) in conformity with the spiritual path; [brahma + cariya + sāruppa] |
| dhuvasīla | (adj) stable in conduct; with firm ethics [dhuva + sīla] adj, comp |
| ṭhitasīla | (adj) firmly ethical; steadfast in behaviour [ṭhita + sīla] adj, comp |
| samādāya 2 | (ger) undertaking; taking up; accepting [saṁ + √ādā + ya] ger of samādāti |
| parikkhaya | (masc) exhaustion; destruction; depletion (of) [pari + √khī > khay + *a] masc |
| niyata 2 | (pp) certain; decided; invariable; unavoidable; of fixed destiny [ni + √yam + ta] |
| sambodhiparāyaṇa | (adj) destined for full awakening; culminating in enlightenment |
... sakadāgāmī hoti ... anāvattidhammo ... Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ
paripūrakārī paññāya paripūrakārī. So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi.
Taṁ kissa hetu? Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā.... tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. So āsavānaṁ khayā
anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.Iti kho, bhikkhave, padesaṁ padesakārī ārādheti paripūraṁ paripūrakārī.
Avañjhāni tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sikkhāpadāni vadāmī"ti.
| padesaṁ | (ind) in part; partially; to a degree [pa + √dis > des + *a + aṁ] |
| padesakārī | (adj) who partly does; who does a portion of the work; who practices partially |
| ārādheti 2 | (pr) wins; obtains; accomplishes; succeeds (in); [ā + rādhe + ti] pr, caus of ā √rādh |
| paripūraṁ | (ind) completely; in full; fully [pari + √pūr + a + aṁ] |
| paripūrakārī | (adj) who completely fulfils; who is complete (wrt); who practices fully |
| avañjha | (adj) productive; profitable; successful [na > a + vañjha] |
| vañjha | (adj) barren; fruitless; sterile; unproductive adj |
AN 3.87, AN 3.88 -- Results in terms of number and realms of rebirth
AN 3.89, AN 3.90 -- Definitions, see above
AN 3.91 Saṅkavāsutta -- Wanting to train
The Buddha praises only those senior and junior bhikkhus who want to train (bhikkhu hoti sikkhākāmo sikkhāsamādānassa vaṇṇavādī), so that others may follow their examples.
AN 3.92 Accāyikasutta -- The training will have result
A farmer has three urgent duties: to plough, plant and irrigate. That farmer has no special power or ability to say:
'Let the crops germinate today! Let them flower tomorrow! Let them ripen the day after!' But there comes a time when that farmer's crops germinate, flower, and ripen as the seasons change.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīṇimāni bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Adhisīlasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhicittasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhipaññāsikkhāsamādānaṁ --- imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.
Tassa kho taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno natthi sā iddhi vā ānubhāvo vā: 'ajjeva me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccatu sve vā uttarasve vā'ti.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ tassa bhikkhuno adhisīlampi sikkhato adhicittampi sikkhato adhipaññampi sikkhato anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: 'tibbo no chando bhavissati ...'
| accāyika | (adj) urgent; pressing; extraordinary [accaya + *ika] adj, from accaya |
| sā | (pron) she; that; it pron, fem nom sg of ta |
| iddhi 1 | (fem) psychic power; supernormal ability [√idh + ti] fem, abstr, from ijjhati |
| ānubhāva 2 | (masc) power; ability [anu > ānu + √bhū > bhāv + *a + *a] |
| ajjeva | (sandhi) this very day; just today; right now [ajja + eva] sandhi, adv + ind |
| anupādāya | (ger) not holding (onto); not grasping (onto); [an + upādāya] ger of na upādiyati |
| sve | (ind) tomorrow ind, adv |
| uttarasve | (ind) day after tomorrow; next day [uttara + sve] ind, adv, comp |